Suzuki Music Lessons: Music, Excellence, and Fun!

With the Suzuki violin program, your child (as young as 3 years old) can successfully learn to play the violin beautifully using the Suzuki Method approach (see other children playing the violin).

Your child will be learning by listening, imitating, and repeating sounds, just as we learn to talk.

The Suzuki Method creates a partnership between the teacher, parent, and child, inspiring a fine musical ear, self-confidence, and a lifelong love of music.

The “Suzuki Parent” attends all individual and group violin lessons and receives from the teacher all the necessary tools to help your child with daily home practicing, as well as to provide for the Suzuki music listening assignments.

No previous music or teaching experience is necessary.

How it works

With the Suzuki Method violin program, children learn violin through both individual and group lessons. Each child receives a weekly individual lesson and a group lesson, concert, recital, or other group activity every month.

In addition to individual and group violin lessons, students take music reading and theory lessons as part of their weekly instruction. This comprehensive approach assures that, students not only play the violin beautifully, but that students also learn to read, write, and understand music notation and how music works.

The Suzuki music curriculum gives students a well-rounded music education that goes beyond the “typical” weekly private lesson. Our curriculum has taken many of our former students to the heights of music performance. It is designed to take our music students to the highest levels of musical excellence.

Individual Lessons
The teacher, student, and parent meet each week for an individually-focused lesson -one child at a time. While one, two or three children may be present at the same lesson, the teacher’s violin instruction is focused on one child while the other children and parents observe quietly, learning from the instruction. The length of the lessons may vary depending of the number, age and skill level of the children in the lesson, being from 30 to 90 minutes. Listening skills, posture, rhythm, and tone are developed. At home, the parent works with the child on daily violin practice and listening throughout the week.
During a child’s first semester of Suzuki violin lessons, lessons #1 – 3 may be dedicated mainly to instruct the parent to develop a rudimentary understanding of the violin. The child observes and participates in those lessons. After that introductory stage, the child becomes the main focus of the lessons.

Group Lessons
Essential to the Suzuki Method are group lessons, where students listen to one another play, interact musically, work on violin technique, play musical games, learn theory skills, and learn locomotor skills. Group lessons are part of the regular instruction. Other activities such as concerts, recitals, and workshops are also part of the program.

Music Theory Lessons
Music Theory lessons allow children to read and write music notation, to understand how music works and to hear and read is merely a means to an end – music students should be able to use their music theory skills to play their instrument in a more informed manner and to compose their own music.

Recommended Ages
Because of developmental differences in young children, Suzuki violin teachers recommend that children begin studying between the ages of two-and-a-half and six years old. Admission into the program may require a short meeting between the parent, child, and teacher to determine whether the program is what you and your child need. Additionally, parents receive training on the Suzuki philosophy and approach. Contact us to request more information.

How to Begin
Most Suzuki teachers recommend that parents and children observe several Suzuki lessons before registering. Parents take a course covering the basics of the Suzuki philosophy and principles of helping the child with daily practice. It is recommended that children younger than 4 attend at least a semester of early music education classes.

For further details on how to attend violin lessons and details describing the Suzuki Violin program, go to our contact page.